Stir-fried Kway Teow

Stir-fried Kway Teow is a famous stir-fried rice noodle dish in Indonesia and Singapore. The singaporean call this dish as Char Kway Teow, while indonesian call it as Kway Teow Goreng (Stir-fried Kway Teow). Singaporean Char Kway Teow normally use bean sprouts and lap cheong (chinese pork sausage) and seafood (eg.:shrimps). On the other hand, indonesian kway teow use more chicken or beef and choy sum. Here I made the indonesian kway teow.

Ingredients:

- 250 g fresh rice noodles (or 100g dried rice noodles, boiled)
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 300 g chicken fillet or beef, thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soya sauce)
- 1 ½ tbsp soy sauce
- 1 ½ tbsp oyster sauce
- 300 g choy sum or gai larn, cut into bite size
- ¼ tsp white pepper powder
- Lemon wedges to serve (optional)

Method:

1) Put fresh rice noodles in boiling water for 30 seconds, and then drain the water. Set aside.
2) Heat a wok over medium heat, add 1 tbsp of the oil and swirl to coat the base and side. Add the egg and cook into scramble egg.
3) Add the remaining oil, add the sliced chicken fillet or sliced beef and stir-fry until brown.
4) Combine the kecap manis, soy sauce and oyster sauce in one small bowl, then add to the wok.
5) Add choy sum or gai larn and the rice noodles to the wok. Stir-fry for 3 minutes or until the choy sum becomes slightly tender but not very soft.
6) Add white pepper powder and stir well.Serve warm with lemon wedges.

Yield: 2-4 servings

Curry Mee or Laksa Noodle

This Nonya dish is known as Curry Mee in Malaysia and in Singapore. However, the malaysian and singaporean immigrants in Australia call this dish Laksa. First time I ate Laksa noodle was when I studied in Sydney. In the uni where I was studying, there was an asian food counter where students can buy and enjoy asian food served there. Once I tried that food, I really fell in love with Laksa noodle since the taste was so yummy! ^_^ Now since I live in Finland, it's so hard to find Indonesian or Malaysian resto that serves Laksa. So, I decided to make Laksa for our dinner and yeah..it turned really good, spicy and my hubby loves that, too. ^_^

Ingredients:

- 150 g boiled/cooked rice vermicelli noodles (glass noodles)
- 150 g boiled/cooked egg noodles
- 2 tbsp peanut oil or vegetable oil
- 4 tbsp laksa paste (see recipe below)
- 2 L water
- 1 chicken stock cube
- 1 tsp brown sugar or grated palm sugar
- 250 ml coconut milk
- 4 tbsp laksa paste
- 100 g bean sprouts, cleaned and rinsed in the running water.
- 100 g choy sum, chopped
- 200 g meat/beef ball
- 150 g chicken fillet, sliced thinly
- 2 cubes fried tofu, sliced --> I don't put tofu here, since hubby doesn't like it.
- sliced boiled eggs, mint leaves and fried onion to garnish

Laksa Paste:

- 2 medium onion or 10 purple shallots, finely chopped
- 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and chop the white part finely
- 3 cm piece of galangal, peeled and chopped
- 6 candle nuts
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tsp dried shrimp paste (belacan or terasi bakar)
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tbsp chili powder or 6 deseeded bird's eye red chili
- 1 tbsp peanut oil or vegetable oil

Methods:

To make the Laksa paste: Process all ingredients in a food processor or a blender until well combined. Store the paste in a clean, airtight jar in the fridge for up to 6 months.

1. Heat the oil in the wok and fry the laksa paste over a low heat until fragrant. Make sure to stir it occasionaly to prevent stickness.

2. Add the water and bring to the boil. Then, add chicken stock cube, sliced chicken fillet and meatballs. Simmer until the stock cube is dissolved.

3. Stir in the coconut milk and bring the gravy to boil. When it's boiled, turn off the heat.

4. Put the boiled/cooked noodles into four bowls.

5. Add the chopped choy sum and bean sprouts.

6. Ladle the gravy to the bowls. Make sure to take the chicken fillet and meatballs when you ladle the gravy. ^_^

7. Garnish each bowls that has been filled with gravy and meat, with sliced boiled eggs, sliced fried tofu, sprig of mint leaves and fried onion. Serve warm.

Make 4 serving